California County votes to secede from California

9.04.2013, 15:11 PM
California county votes to secede from state

Jeff Chiu/AP
The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday for a declaration of secession from the state of California.

These are uncivil times in Northern California.

The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday in favor of a declaration of secession from the state.

Citing a lack of representation in the California legislature, as well as new annual fees for fire service to the county’s remote, rural areas, the board passed the declaration in front of approximately 100 residents, most of whom voiced support for the measure.

"I haven't had one contact in regard to this issue that's in opposition," Supervisor Michael Kobseff told the Redding Record Searchlight.

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Many in attendance also said they planned to try and drum up support in neighboring counties in Northern California and Southern Oregon to form a new state called Jefferson.

In Humboldt County, Supervisor Rex Bohn, seems to be on board with the secession plan.

Many residents in rural Northern California want to form a new state called Jefferson with surrounding counties. 
Jeff Chiu/AP

Many residents in rural Northern California want to form a new state called Jefferson with surrounding counties. 

"I was one of the people who thinks the state of Jefferson wasn't a bad idea," Bohn told the Record Searchlight. "There has been a total lack of respect of our water rights and the fire fee. Those things may not be important to the rest of the state, but it's important to us."

The idea for the formation of a new state called Jefferson stems back to the 1940s, when local residents pressed the California legislature to improve the local roads in the remote northern regions of the state.

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The area is also decidedly more conservative than much of the state.

"Many proposed laws are unconstitutional and deny us our God-given rights," Gabe Garrison of Happy Camp said at the meeting. "We need our own state so we can make laws that fit our way of life."

Supervisor Ed Valenzuela, the lone supervisor to vote against secession, said he could not support the measure because he had taken a vow to uphold the state constitution.

"I signed on to work within the system I know," he said. "I don't like it, I don't agree with it all the time, but ... I did sign up for that and I will continue to do so."

For now, the board of supervisor’s vote is unlikely to have much actual bearing on California’s future because the move to secede would need to be passed by the state legislature and by Congress.

DKnowles@nydailynews.com

Author:
DAVID KNOWLES